Cohen 8-Ball: This or That?

OrlandoMagic.com’s Josh Cohen opens up a debate on intriguing topics on the Magic and the entire NBA.

Best Title Building Method?April 23, 2014

For teams in a rebuild stage, it’s a constant and often draining debate. While there is no doubt that there are multiple ways to assemble a championship contender, teams tend to focus more exclusively on the draft or free agency and trades.

In recent years, we have witnessed clubs such as the Heat and Nets narrow in on free agency and trades to craft together a title contender. They freed up salary cap space and managed to attract free agents and gathered valuable trade pieces to acquire other star-studded talent.

Other franchises such as the Thunder and Spurs have focused more on the draft to construct a contender. San Antonio drafted Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, while OKC landed Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and James Harden (before trading him).

Watch a complete analysis below that helps break down which of the two formulas is an overall more effective strategy.